Course Overview

The AP U.S. History course is designed to provide students with the analytical skills and factual knowledge necessary to deal critically with the problems and materials in U.S. history. The program prepares students for intermediate and advanced college courses by making demands upon them equivalent to those made by full-year introductory college courses. Students should learn to assess historical materials—their relevance to a given interpretive problem, reliability, and importance—and to weigh the evidence and interpretations presented in historical scholarship. An AP U.S. History course should thus develop the skills necessary to arrive at conclusions on the basis of an informed judgment and to present reasons and evidence clearly and persuasively in essay format.

Course Objectives (Based on the California Academic Content Standards for U.S. History and the U.S. History course outline):

Students will be able to:

1. Analyze the significant events in the founding of the nation and its attempts to realize the philosophy of government described in the Declaration of Independence;
2. Analyze the relationship among the rise of industrialization, large-scale rural-to-urban migration, and massive immigration from Southern and Eastern Europe;
3. Analyze the role religion played in the founding of America, its lasting moral, social, and political impacts, and issues regarded religious liberty;
4. Trace the rise of the United States to its role as a world power in the twentieth century;
5. Analyze the major political, social, economic, technological, and cultural developments of the 1920s;
6. Analyze the different explanations for the Great Depression and how the New Deal fundamentally changed the role of the federal government;
7. Analyze America's participation in World War II;
8. Analyze the economic boom and social transformation of post-World War II America;
9. Analyze U.S. foreign policy since World War II;
10. Analyze the development of civil rights and voting rights; and
11. Analyze the major social problems and domestic policy issues in contemporary American society.

Course Text

Thomas A. Bailey, David M. Kennedy, and Lizabeth Cohen. The American Pageant: A History of the Republic (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1998).

Additional Resources

Howard Zinn. A People's History of the United States (New York: The New Press, 2003).

Paul Johnson. A History of the American People (New York: 1997).

William Bennett. America: The Last Best Hope; Volume 1: From the Age of Discovery to a World at War (Nashville: Nelson Current, 2006).

Richard Hofstadter. Great Issues in American History: Volumes 1-3. (New York: Random House, 1982).

Various articles and handouts available in class or via our class website at mrsdavlantis.com.

Course Purpose

There are several purposes in Advanced Placement United States History. First of all, students will learn about U.S. history, its government, and its relationships to the social and economic climate of the U.S. and the world. This course is also intended to prepare students to take the AP U.S. History exam on May 11, 2012.

Organization:

Throughout the year, our studies will be based on the following themes:

Within each unit, we will look at our overall themes to find out how they correlate to our specific topics of study.

1. Immigration

2. Territory

3. Labor/Work

4. Tariff Policy

5. Indian Policy

6. Foreign policy

7. Court cases

8. Recessions & depressions

9. Religious movements

10. Wars

11. Women's issues

12. Banking

13. Leisure

14. Race relations

15. Inventions & Innovations

Units will usually take two weeks to cover. For each unit, an assignment sheet with the individual themes for that unit and the terms/vocabulary words to be covered will be posted online. Reading assignments are outlined here in our reading schedule and will be required to be completed prior to the unit or during the unit's study. Outlining, answering discussion questions, formulating questions, and note-taking for each unit will always be required, but on a rotating basis. Students are required to stay current on reading assignments and to be ready for class discussions, quizzes, tests, DBQs, and essays. Essays will be scored using a 9-point rubric.

Each unit will be focused around individual themes, our year-long overall themes, and terms related to the content and tied to the California State Standards. For each unit, students will be required to address one or more of the themes and produce proof of understanding using a variety of modalities, including but not limited to analyzing evidence/documents/primary sources highlighted by a theme, writing an analytical or interpretive essay about a theme, and/or a performance tied to the analysis or interpretation of a unit's theme(s).

Tests:

Test will be a combination of document-based essay questions, thematic essays, and multiple choice questions. Document-based questions will be administered in class on the first Thursday of each unit, with the thematic essays or multiple choice exams on the final two days of each unit. Occasionally, these exams will be done in pairs/groups to foster discussion and collaborative thought. Due to time constraints, some essays may be required as homework.

Grades

All grading will be based upon a standard scale and a point system. Extra credit may or may not be given. Make-up and late work will only be taken based upon the guidelines below.

Scale:

90.0%-100% A

89.5%-89.9% A-

89.0%- 89.4% B+ Note: For college admittance purposes, a

80.0%- 88.9% B D is not passing

79.5%-79.9% B-

79.0%-79.4% C+

70.0%- 78.9% C

69.5%- 69.9% C-

60%- 69.4% D

0%- 59.9% F

Late Work/Make Up Work

• There will be no make-ups for missed tests and/or quizzes unless previously arranged with me, or if excused because of illness. If you are absent and miss a test, it will be made up the day you return to class, regardless of what the class is doing and whether or not you are prepared. This follows what the Eagle Handbook outlines.
• When you are absent, it is your responsibility to find out what was missed and to make up that work. You can see me for handouts and a class member for notes.
• Late classwork will only be accepted on the day following your first day back. It is your responsibility to arrange a time to make up the missed assignments.
• Missed group presentations cannot be made up. If you know that you will miss a presentation, you must discuss it with your group and with me in order to ensure that your portion of the assignment is completed, otherwise resulting in a zero on the project.
• Any major assignments (projects, papers, etc) should be handed in either prior to the absence or dropped off in my box in the main office.

Positive Consequences

You will be acknowledged and positively rewarded for appropriate behavior.

On the other hand...

1. Verbal warning
2. Detention with me; written response to inciting behavior, as well as solution and parent contacted.
3. Parent conference.

Know that I will contact your parents when I see a pattern of poor classwork and/or behavioral issues that need parental support.

A Final Note

I am excited for us to embark on a study of our nation's history together. I encourage you to ask questions, to seek my help whenever confusion or question arises, and to always remember that you can succeed. I am here to help you to be successful and am eager to assist you in that goal. Diligence and the belief that you can achieve will bring about that success!

I am available for help by appointment. You can reach me either by email or phone.

Email: jito@esusd.k12.ca.us

Phone: 310-615-2662 ext 326

Note:

• The instructor retains the right to make changes, additions, and deletions to the syllabus during the course of the year.
• Students are expected to adhere to the ESHS policies and procedures outlined in the Eagle Handbook.

Advanced Placement U.S. History Contract

I agree to take the Advanced Placement Exam in United States History on Friday, May 11, 2012. The cost of the exam is approximately $82 (could be higher if the College Board and/or ETS raise the price).

I agree to maintain and uphold the standards of this AP course. I understand that cheating, disrespect, and lack of motivation will not be tolerated.

Finally, I agree to remain in the APUSH course for the entire 2011-2012 school year. I understand that this class is the study of United States History from settlement of the New World to the present. The class is designed to focus on the taking and passing of the U.S. History Advanced Placement test. This class will be approached as a college level class. I agree to be self-motivated, thoughtful, and to complete assignments.

I have read and understand all of the requirements for APUSH.

Student's Name (please print)______________________________________________

Student's Signature_______________________________________________________

Parent's Signature_______________________________________________________

Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns. I can be reached by phone at 310-615-2662 or by email at eshsapush@gmail.com and be sure to check our class website at

Questions/Comments/Concerns: